USA > New York > Jefferson County > Our county and its people. A descriptive work on Jefferson County, New York > Part 66
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The Henderson Universalist society was organized January 13, 1823, and was the outgrowth of the Universalist Charitable society, which was formed February 5, 1819, with 13 members. The church organ- ization began to take definite form in 1822, under the direction of Rev. Pitt Morse. The edifice in the village was built in 1839, at a cost of $3,000. The society numbers about 40 members, but has no present pastor.
The Methodist Episcopal church of Henderson village was organized April 9, 1814, with Harvey Crittenton, Amos White and Sylvanus Ward as trustees. The meeting house was built during the next five years. This has grown to be one of the strongest religious societies in the town, and numbers 106 members and 20 probationers. The pastor is Rev. George Merritt. The parent Methodist society in the town was formed July 28, 1830, in the Bishop neighborhood, Beebe Smith, Cyrus Hall, Amos White, Joseph J. Hatch and Calvin Bishop being the trus- tees. A house of worship was soon afterward provided and regular services have always been held. The church is a joint charge with that at the village, under the same pastorate.
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OUR COUNTY AND ITS PEOPLE.
A Swedenborgian society was formerly one of the religious institu- tions of the town, having been formed in Ellisburgh, Dec. 25, 1825, by Rev. Holland Weeks, but drawing most of its members from Hender- son. Mr. Weeks was the founder of the society and as its minister held regular services in the school house in the village until a short time before his death, July 24, 1843. Among the leading members of the flock were Mr. Weeks, Joseph Dickey, M. J. Morseman, Edmund Leslie, Jeremiah Sias, Charles Stearns, John B. Blanchard and wife, Alvin and Lydia Wood, Ann H. Adams, Hannah Goodale and Harriet A. Weeks.
The First Congregational church of Henderson was another early in- stitution. It was organized July 17, 1810, and included as members Willes and Sarah Fellows, Jonathan and Bartheba Alexander, Olivia and Rebecca Bates, Samuel Parker, Thomas and Rebecca Drury, Zo. riah Hawkins, Sarah Fletcher, Thankful Allen and Rachel Skinner. No records of the church are known to be in existence, but it is be- lieved the old meeting house was built sometime previous to 1819. It was occupied by the society until about 1835, and was then sold, after which meetings were held in the Whitney school house until about 1836, when the society was dissolved and its few members united with the church at Smithville.
Supervisors .- Jesse Hopkins, 1806-10; James Henderson, 1811; Asa Smith, 1812; Mark Hopkins, 1813; Asa Smith, 1814-15; Mark Hopkins, 1816; John S. Porter. 1817; Noah Tubbs, 1818; Asa Smith, 1819; Noah Tubbs, 1820-24; Caleb Harris, 1825-26 ; Jonathan Bullard, 1827; Caleb Harris, 1828-31; Peter N. Cushman, 1832; Caleb Harris, 1833-34; Peter N. Cushman, 1835-37; David Montagne, 1838-40; George Jeffers, 1841; John Carpenter, 1842-43; Joseph A. Montague, 1844; William McNiel, 1845: Henry Green, jr., 1846-51; Washington Bullard, 1852; Henry Green, jr., 1853- 55; William P. Davis, 1856; Clark Auchard, 1857-58; William Dobson, 1859-62 ; T.O. Whitney, 1863; George G. Whitney, 1864-65; William Dobson, 1866; Adelbert A. Davis, 1867-68; L. B. Simmons, 1869; A. A. Davis, 1870; William Dobson, 1871; Leonard Seaton, 1872-75; John Chapman, 1876-78; Luther Reed, 1879 82; H. E. Carpenter, 1883-84; J. W. Overton, 1885; H. E. Carpenter, 1886-89; Adelbert A. Scott, 1890-99.
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THE TOWN OF HIOUNSFIELD.
CHAPTER XXX.
THE TOWN OF HOUNSFIELD.
When on August 5, 1796, the proprietors of the eleven towns, other- wise known as the Black river tract, divided the lands among them- selves, numbers 1, 4, 5, 8 and 10 ( Hounsfield, Champion, Denmark, Rodman and Harrisburgh), with 1, 283 acres of what is now Worth, fell to Richard Harrison and Joseph Ogden Hoffman. On June 30, 1797, Harrison and Hoffman soll the north part of Hounsfield (11, 131.5 acres) to Henry Champion and Lemuel Storrs, and on March 10, 1801, dis- posed of the south part (15,913 acres) to Peter Kemble and Ezra Hounsfield (consideration of $4,000) who sold to settlers and smaller proprietors through the agency of Silas Stow and Elisha Camp.
As is well known in Jefferson county history, the title to all lands in the region passed from Macomb to Constable, and from the latter to the lesser proprietors. This town passed through the same channel and its title became vested in Harrison, Hoffman, Low and Henderson as owners of the eleven towns, or the Black river tract, as above stated, and as more fully detailed in an earlier chapter of this work. Cham- pion and Storrs, who paid for the north part of the town (with the town of Champion) $58,383.33, sold a portion of their tract (Nov. 14, 1798) to Loomis and Tillinghast, receiving therefor two promissory notes of $6,000 each, the payment of which was secured by mortgage on the lands. The notes were not paid when due, hence the mortgage was foreclosed, and on June 20, 1801, at the Tontine Coffee House in New York, under a decree of chancery the Loomis and Tillinghast lands were sold to Augustus Sacket, also of New York, who had heard of the desirable location and who, previous to the sale, had visited the region, having in mind at that time the subject of purchase and the subsequent improvement and settlement of the territory, although at that time he had no idea that his tract was to become one of the most historical localities in the whole country, and even afterward a military and naval station of much importance.
After the title had become perfected in Augustus Sacket he at once
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OUR COUNTY AND ITS PEOPLE.
came to the lands with a small company of employees and began making improvements, so that within three years he had established quite a colony of mechanics and others, and was himself the possessor of one of the most pretentious residences in the region. In the meantime settlement had begun elsewhere in the town, and the honor of being the pioneer seems to have fallen to Amasa Fox, who in 1800 settled in the north part of the town in the vicinity of the afterward known " Muskalonge burying ground."' If local tradition and scattered records are reliable. Fox was a worthy pioneer, an earnest developer, and one whose name should be preserved, although none of his imme- diate descendants are now known to be in the locality. Following closely after Fox, other scattered settlements were made along the south bank of Black river, a number of which were of a temporary character and associated with the flourishing settlement built up by Jacob Brown, at Brownville. The real pioneer of Hounsfield was Augustus Sacket, who began his extensive work during the summer and fall of 1801. At the same time the proprietors of the south part of the town were hardly less active, and under the agency of Silas Stow a number of sales and improvements had been made. In 1802 an observing traveler passed through the town, noting the condition of development, and reported about 30 families then settled in the territory, but did not (neither does any extant record) preserve their names. Mr. Sacket's colony probably included the majority of these settlers, while those scattered along the river with a few in the south part of the town comprised the others.
On his arrival at the place in 1801, Mr. Sacket first built a saw mill that later comers might be furnished lumber for their buildings, but no sooner was he comfortably established in his new residence than there was added to the settlement a number of English families, whose tem- porary wants required attention, but nearly every one of whom in later years became successful and comfortable in life, and furnished to the county some of its staunchest business men. This colony came in 1805, and included Samuel Luff and his sons, Edmund, Samuel, jr., Joseph and Jesse (from whom sprung a thrifty and prosperous line of de- scendants), David Merritt, William Ashby, John Root, Henry Metcalf and George Sloman, nearly all of whom were afterward in some man. ner identified with the best history of the town and its interesting
1 The pioneers of this section of the town found the remains of an ancient Indian fortification in the shore of Black River Bay a short distance southwesterly of Muscalonge creek. It was a brick enclosure of the ordinary form. but unfortunately no diagram was made and no description has been preserved. All traces of the work have long since disappeared.
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THE TOWN OF HOUNSFIELD).
events. In the same vicinity, and following closely after the settlement by the English colony, there came John and William Evans, Daniel Reed, Amasa Hulbert (then called Hollibut), Charles Berry (called Barrie), Uriah Rowlson (Roulison), Azariah P'. Sherwin and others whose names are lost with the passing years and whose descendants long ago left the country.
In addition to those already named there came and settled in llounsfield during the first few years of its history, Ambrose Pease, Theron Hinman, Stephen Sim- mons, Loren Buss, Joseph Landon (at whose house the first town meeting was held), Jotham Wilder, John Patrick, Hezekiah Doolittle, Josiah MeWayne (who is said to have come soon after 1800), Jeremiah Goodrich, Samuel Bates (the pioneer head of the numerous and prominent Bates family of later years), John W. Phelps, William Waring (the first town clerk), Solomon, Robert, Asher. Austin and Joshna Robbins (five brothers who came from Berkshire, Mass., about 1806 or "7 and founded the Robbins settlement in the southwest part of the town, and from whom sprung a numerous and highly respected family), Elijah Field (founder of Field's settlement, south of East Hounsfield, and father of Rev. Lebbeus Field), Palmer Westcott (who came about 1507, and carried on an extensive potash works. He was the head of an afterward numerous family in the town and county), Asahel Joiner (who lived to be more than 100 years old), Dr. Titus Ives, and also Jonathan and ErastusIves (who were owners of large tracts of land in Hounsfield and Watertown. Dr. Titus was the father of the late Willard Ives, of Watertown.)
Among the other early prominent settlers were Ebenezer Allen (located on lot 38 about 180%, and among the settlers was known as Major Allen by reason of his long and honorable revolutionary record. He was grandfather of Lebbeus F. Allen who still lives on the old homestead), Nathan Baker (settled on the south line about 1808). Timothy Holden (1810). David Spicer, Elisha Ladd, Joseph KnowIton, William C. Pease, Thomas Wright, Daniel Holloway (who carried on a cloth mill near Stowell's corners), Ezra Tyler (a revolutionary patriot), and Ira Inglehart (whose family be- came prominent in the later history of the county).
All these, and perhaps many others whose names cannot now be re- called are believed to have been in the town previous to the war of 1812, and nearly every one of them was an active participant in that great struggle. These were the pioneers who accomplished the work of set- tling the town and preparing the way for later generations of occu- pants. The task was neither hazardous nor especially eventful, but before it was fully done a war with Great Britain took place, and for nearly three years this town was the constant theatre of important mil- itary and naval events, and some of the most stirring incidental events of the period.
However, pioneer life was not without its incidents to prove the friendship existing among the settlers although few of them were ac-
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OUR COUNTY AND ITS PEOPLE.
quainted with one another at that time. In 1805, according to the person- al reminiscences of David Merritt, on Sunday evening, a settler who lived half a mile from any other habitation, had occasion to visit his nearest neighbor. Unknown to him, his four year old child followed at a dis. tance, and not overtaking his parent, became lost in the woods. After a time the settler returned and was at once questioned by his wife as to the whereabouts of the child, whom she supposed had accompanied him. Losing no time the nearest neighbors were summoned and all the night was spent in a vain search for the lost one. All the next day (Monday) the search was continued, other settlers aiding. but still no trace of the lost was found. Still another night passed but without recovery, and the intensity of the suspense was heightened by a rumor that a panther had been seen prowling about the woods. At last it was determined to make still another effort to find the child, and a messen- ger was sent to Sackets Harbor with the news and a request for aid. No man hesitated, and to the number of about 500 they were gathered from all quarters of the town; and headed by Samuel Luff, William Ashby and David Merritt, they repaired to the home of the distressed settler. About 11 o'clock Tuesday morning a line was formed extend- ing a mile to the right and left of the house, so that every foot of ground might be examined, and then the forward march began. In this way the men proceeded about two miles, when the report of a gun shot was heard. The signal was understood and all hastened to the spot, where the little fellow was found alive and unharmed, although much ex- hausted.
During the period of its early history the town, which then formed a part of Watertown, was almost entirely without public improvements, and the conveniences for travel were indeed limited, as the authorities of the mother town were little interested in the development of the region but were wholly occupied with improving the thoroughfares from the east into their immediate territory which had recently been designated the seat of justice of a new county. This is one of the reasons which made necessary the creation of a new town, but in ad- dition thereto was the equally important fact that the proposed new jurisdiction at that time contained more than 200 qualified voters, in which respect it was exceeded only by the towns of Rodman and Rut- land. Indeed, in 180; Hounsfield contained 226 voters with requisite property qualifications, while Rodman and Rutland each contained 236. But whatever the cause the creation of the town was accomplished in 1806.
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THE TOWN OF HOUNSFIELD.
Organisation .-- According to unquestioned authority a proposition was then under advisement to create a new town from Watertown and Adams, taking therefor three tiers, or ranges, of lots from the north side of No. " (Adams) and annex them to No 1, and thus form a town by the name of Newport. This matter was discussed at a special town meeting held in Adams Nov. 10, 1803, when a vote was taken and the proposition was rejected. Almost three years passed before any fur- ther action was taken relating to township No. 1, but on February 17, 1806, an aet was passed creating a town by the name of Ilounsfield, embracing the territory of No. 1, and containing, according to Benja- min Wright's survey, 26,048 aeres, but now, with its inland territory, 28,703 acres of land
The town was named Hounsfield at the suggestion of Augustus Sacket, and was so called in honor of Ezra Hounsfield, an Englishman, who about 1800 came to New York as agent for his brothers, John and Bar- tholomew llounsfield, manufacturers and merchants of Sheffield. Ezra Hounsfield was partner in business with Peter Kimball, and the firm became owners by purchase of the south half of township No. 1, as is previously stated. Mr. Hounsfield was a bachelor and generally passed the summer months in the town, in which he took a deep interest. He died in New York about 1812, and by his will David A. Ogden, Edward Lynde, John Day and Thomas L. Ogden were appointed executors of his estate. On August 1, 1817, the remaining Hounsfield lands were sold at Sackets Harbor, at public auction, and were purchased by the executors for Bartholomew Hounsfield, in whom the title thereupon vested.
Within the jurisdiction of the town are the Galloup islands (2, 216.2 and 48.8 acres in arca respectively), Stony island (1,536 acres) and Calf island (34.8 acres). These islands were patented by the state to Elisha Camp, February 15, 1823, and were thereupon annexed for jurisdictional purposes to Hounsfield. However, by an act of the legislature, passed April 21, 1818, the jurisdiction of a part of the larger Galloup island was ceded to the United States for the purpose of a lighthouse. In the history of the town these islands have been of little consequence. They are occupied almost exclusively for agricultural purposes and contain excellent farming lands. 1
1 The Gill family were among the early settlers on the greater Galloup island, and lived there many years before removing to the mainland in Henderson. The Gills set out and cultivated extensive orchards on the island. Hugh H. Gill is a descendant of this pioneer family. During
80
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OUR COUNTY AND ITS PEOPLE.
The first town meeting in Hounsfield was appointed to be held at the house of Ambrose Pease, upon the notification of pioneer Amasa Fox, but was adjourned to meet (March 4, 1806) at the house of Joseph Landon. Officers were elected as fol- lows: Augustus Sacket, supervisor; William Waring, town clerk; Amasa Fox, William Baker, Samuel Bates, jr., and Theron Hinman, assessors; Ambrose Pease and Robert Robbins, highway commissioners; Jotham Wilder and John Patrick, overseers of the poor; Jeremiah Goodrich, collector; Jeremiah Goodrich, William Galloway and John Root, constables.
After the election of necessary officers the assembled voters gave their attention to the matter of highways, and also to the equally im- portant duty of providing for the annihilation of wild animals, such as wolves, panthers and foxes. In 1806 it was resolved " that the inhabi- tants of this town, who shall hunt any wolf or panther in this town (though he should kill such wolf or panther in any other town) shall be entitled to $10 bounty." The wolf and panther bounties were con- tinued until 1816, and the fox bounty for several years afterward. In 1812 it was voted to fine ($1.00) every owner of land who failed to cut the Canada thistles growing thereon; the fines to be paid as a reward to whoever should discover some means to effectually destroy the nuisance.
Thus was brought into existence, and thus was established the insti- tutions of government in what afterward became one of the most his- torical localities in New York state. Among the towns of Jefferson county previous to about 1810, Hounsfield did not occupy a position of special importance, although its lands were as fertile and productive as any along the water front; but beginning about 1809 or '10, and from that until the present time Hounsfield has held a position of command- ing prominence in this party of the country. True, in the earliest his- tory of the town there were such earnest, active developers as Augustus Sacket, Elisha Camp and other determined men, whose work was an
more recent years, Galloup and Stony islands have acquired much prominence on account of the excellent bass fishing grounds of their vicinity, and it is doubtful if a better field for this rare pleasure can be found in the whole country, not even accepting the famous Great Back Bay in Lake Champlain. For the purpose of providing for the requirements of the many fishermen who annually visit these grounds W. G Northam, of Watertown, built and equipped the noted Stony Island Inn. It is a well appointed hostelry, capable of accommodating 100 guests.
2 Among the other important roadways which were laid out in the early days of the town was what is known as the "Salt Point" road. This highway was a continuation of the road which was built soon after 1814 from Salina (now Syracuse) to Smith's Mill (now Adams) and ran by way of .Adams Centre, the General Rice place and Camp's Mill, northerly through the town. This was a part of a system of roads which it was designed to construct extending from Syracuse to Ogdensburg. The Salt Point road was an important factor in the early history of the town. Old residents relate trips made to Syracuse over this road for salt upwards of 70 years ago and at a time when the salt was boiled in kettles.
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THE TOWN OF HOUNSFIELD.
important element in later growth and development, but the fortunate geographical location of the town, and especially of Judge Sacket's little village, was the controlling factor in making the subsequent history which has always reflected great honor on the county and its people.
Hounsfield occupies a central position on the western boundary of the county, and is bounded north and west by the Black river and the waters of Black river and Henderson bays. The river itself has always been navigable as far as Dexter, while the bay proper has for almost a century been famed as forming one of the most safe, convenient, acces- sible and commodious harbors in all the great interior lake region. Its extent is ample, the distance between Six Town Point and Point Penin- sula being something like five or six miles. The islands (Stony, Calf, Little Galloup and Galloup) are in the lake just outside the bay and form natural and permanent breakwaters to more securely protect the harbor.
In the county, and in fact in the whole northern region of the state, Saekets Harbor was the central point of operations during the embargo period and throughout the second war with Great Britain: and what- ever honor was gained by the village in the past belongs to the town at large, for every man in the entire jurisdiction capable of bearing arms was almost daily at the harbor or within easy call of the place; and never in the history of the town was the old warning signal gun fired without a prompt response from the loyal men of Hounsfield. How- ever, in this work the analysis and division of the subject of the coun- ty's history has been such that the town and village are deprived of much of their interesting history. The war of 1812-15 is made the subject of an extended general chapter, while Sackets Harbor as a mil- itary and naval station forms another of equal length and importance in this volume, hence it cannot be considered within the scope of the present chapter to reproduce the narrative, however interesting it may be.
After the elose of the war and the return of permanent peace the farmer returned to his long neglected lands and devoted his efforts to re-establishing a comfortable condition for his family and children. It has been estimated that of the 1,200 or more inhabitants of the town during the war period, nearly four-fifths of them suffered actual loss as a result of the struggle, but the sacrifice was made freely and with few regrets. However, the determined settlers soon recovered the lost
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OUR COUNTY AND ITS PEOPLE.
ground and for many years after the war peace and plenty prevailed on every hand; and between 1814 and 1820 the population increased from 1.386 to 3,429, a growth hardly equaled in any other town in the county.
As an evidence of growth and prosperity in Hounsfield reference may be had to the census reports, from which is taken the following statements showing the popu- lation of the town at the beginning of each half decade, viz. : In 1810 the inhabitants numbered 943: 1814, 1.386; 1920. 3,429; 1925, 2.769; 1830, 3.415: 1835, 3,558; 1840, 4,146; 1845. 3,917: 1-50. 4.136; 1855, 3,221; 1-60, 3,339; 1865, 2,254; 1870, 2,636; 1875, 2,552; 1980, 2,770; 1890, 2,651; 1592, 2,279.
Thus it appears that in Hounsfield the inhabitants at the present time are only equal in number to those of 1825 and also that the maxi- mum population was attained in 1840, the number then being 4, 146. The next three years showed a decrease of only ten, while since 1850 the lose has been gradual and constant. This, however, does not indi- cate an unfortunate condition of affairs, for at one time in its history the town's population was out of proportion with its area, considering the fact that not at any time has it been a manufacturing or important commercial village. Many of the small farmers have left the town and their lands have been annexed to those adjoining with the nlti- inate results of some of the largest and best farms in the county. Pre- vious to about ten years ago hops were an abundant and profitable crop, and were grown in large quantities between the harbor and the county seat. In more recent years dairying and market gardening have succeeded as special industries, while the town at large has lost none of its old-time prominence as a general agricultural district. 1
Notwithstanding the historic interest which has ever been associated with the town, and despite the fact that it has always been regarded as one of the most productive regions of the county, it was not until 1875 that it was given the benefits of a permanent railroad. The subject, however, was discussed as early as 1837 (May 15), when the old Tren- ton and Sackets Harbor railroad company was formed, and organized to the extent of appointing commissioners to receive stock subscrip- tions: but in the way of railroad construction nothing was done. The next venture in the same direction was that of 1>50, when on May 23,
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